Everyone’s an Einstein: How Salesforce is Investing in Employee Growth with AI Upskilling
Sadie Evans
October 28, 2024
In a world where AI is rapidly reshaping how we work, only a small fraction of the global workforce feels ready to use these tools effectively. At Salesforce, we're on a mission to close the AI skills gap. We're not just building AI-powered products like Agentforce and improving access to AI learning in our communities; we're investing in our most valuable asset: our people.
In early October, Salesforce launched its first-ever AI Learning Day, giving our 72,000+ employees a chance to pause, learn, and reimagine how AI can transform their roles.
Lori Castillo Martinez, Salesforce EVP of Talent Growth & Development, shared: “By giving our workforce permission to step away from their daily roles and engage responsibly with AI tools, we’re empowering them to grow with us on our AI journey. We want employees to see it as an opportunity to reimagine how AI can work for any role at Salesforce, to help them thrive in the era of innovation.”
Interested in working for a company that’s invested in your growth? Check out our open roles and apply today!
Salesforce Invested in a Company-Wide AI Learning Day: Here’s What Happened
So, what was AI Learning Day all about? This first-of-its-kind (but not the last!) company-wide event was designed to:
- Help employees understand how to integrate AI and our products into daily tasks
- Enable employees on Agentforce and our new products
- Inspire curiosity, idea sharing, and continuous learning
- Help every employee invest in their career!
No matter where in the world Salesforce employees were, their AI Learning Day was packed with activities designed to enhance understanding and engagement with AI across the company.
The agenda catered to different learning styles and roles within the company, featuring recorded sessions with Salesforce leaders and AI expert speakers, self-paced learning modules, and interactive experiences for both in-person and remote participants.
50 office hubs were buzzing with excitement over engaging activities from Slack and Trailhead expert Ask Me Anything stations, watch parties of recorded sessions, AI photo stations, swag, snacks delivered by robots, and — of course — plenty of Einstein photo ops.
“We’re a fast-paced company moving at the speed of AI,” Molly Q. Ford, VP of Talent Connection and Engagement, shared. “Our leadership team supporting a company-wide, full day of learning shows how serious we are about creating an environment that fosters professional growth and a deeper understanding of AI’s potential within our work. Our towers and hubs are the ideal environment to activate that learning and innovation.”
What Employees Said About AI Learning Day
The impact of the day was clear: after AI Learning Day, 93% of employees felt knowledgeable about the internal AI tools available and 89% found those tools useful for their day-to-day jobs
In our post-event survey, participating employees were asked how they will use their takeaways from AI Learning Day in their daily role or to advance their career goals. They shared:
“[AI Learning Day] provided some time to stop, think and apply the AI theory into practise. My awareness and interest in this topic has increased. I understand how and why Salesforce is deploying this technology.”
“I'll definitely use Einstein more in Slack and I believe I'm better positioned to discuss our offering with customers.”
“I enjoyed the [How to Use] AI at Salesforce session, especially the Slack tips. This session felt extremely applicable to my job and included information I have been meaning to review but hadn't made time for before today.”
“I'm excited to get more AI assistance on everyday administrative tasks and to be able to work more efficiently to get more things done.”
As Salesforce Develops AI-First Technologies for Our Customers, Our Employees Are Customer Zero
Even before the launch of Agentforce, Salesforce has made a pointed effort to include employees in the evolution of our products so that every individual can more effectively support our customers — from our most experienced engineers to our early-career Business Development Representatives.
But AI Learning Day is not just about employees understanding the products we offer, says Salesforce Chief People Officer Nathalie Scardino.
“Employees have a unique opportunity to be directly involved in our evolution and help us co-create AI tools that make their jobs easier. We’re collaborating, and that hunger for constructive criticism and ideas is fueling our culture of innovation. From employee feedback, we’re able to create amazing tools that we can test out internally and then share with our customers.” That’s what we call being Customer Zero!
Have Your Own AI Learning Day on Trailhead with Free AI Certifications
Want to become an AI Trailblazer (AKA Agentblazer), too? Whether you’re an AI newbie or pro, here are resources to learn more:
- Get Started with Artificial Intelligence
- Explore Generative AI Tools
- Get Ready for Agentforce
- Get to Know Agentforce for Developers
- Quick Start: Build Your First Agent with Agentforce (in just 20 minutes!)
Do you learn better in a more traditional learning environment or want to connect with other Agentblazers near you? If you’re local to London, you can attend free in-person courses at the Salesforce UK AI Centre. If you’re a developer, see if the AI Now Tour is coming to your city!
Salesforce continues to unveil new training opportunities in key hubs around the world, accessible to all. Keep an eye out for those events and openings around the world!
Then, when you’re ready to take the next step in your AI learning journey, consider getting certified as a Salesforce AI Associate for free (through the end of 2025!). Why should you get certified?
“The AI Associate certification gave me confidence that I had the foundational knowledge to help me use Einstein most effectively for my customers,” shares Steve, a Salesforce Senior Account Solution Engineer who achieved both the AI Specialist and Associate certifications. “But, almost more importantly, getting certified gave me the language to communicate the value of our AI tools to my decision-makers.” Whether you’re an admin, a seller, or a user, holding the AI Specialist or Associate certification will help you get ahead of the AI revolution.
Salesforce is Preparing Its Workforce for the Future
At Salesforce, we're not just preparing for the future of work – we're shaping it. By investing in our employees' AI skills, we're boosting productivity, sparking innovation, and creating a workforce that's ready for anything.
Ready to be part of a company that invests in its people? Explore open roles at Salesforce today and help us build the future of the #1 AI CRM, where anyone can be an Einstein.